1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to athletic training devices and, more particularly, to a football training device employing resister members to inhibit the movement of a football player through a passageway.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the athletic device art, it is well known to provide a football trainer wherein resistive members are disposed along a passageway to contact the football player during his traversal of the passageway. The function of these devices is to simulate contact by opposing players to improve the ability of a runner to avoid fumbles, and additionally to increase the runner's arm and leg strength.
Prior art training devices have not adequately simulated the contact of opposing players, and thus have not served to properly train the athlete as desired. The fault lies, to a great extent, in the positioning and the shape of the prior art resister elements. For example, many prior art resister elements are in the form of flat plates, either padded or unpadded. The plates usually are hinged, and their rotation on the hinges is resisted by spring-like members. Other types of resister elements are elongated, flexible cones, or other elongated flexible members in the form of bats or pins. In all cases, the elements are in spaced, opposed formation so as to form a passageway which is difficult to traverse. Unfortunately for the athlete, however, many prior art resistive elements impact the player with considerable force upon quite a small area, and this can cause injuries. Other resister elements simply slap against the runner, and their effect as a life-like drill is minimal. None of the prior art devices grab at the runner's limbs, and at the football, as an opposing player would do in a real-life situation.
Finally, all of the prior art devices utilize resister elements of special shapes, which must be specially manufactured. The initial costs and the replacement costs are thus high.